Actions taken by the government had instead worked to “denigrate science in general and environmental science in particular, which is being progressively starved of funding and excluded from important decision-making processes”, he said.

The synod, which includes bishops, lay and clergy representatives from all 23 Australian dioceses, unanimously passed the climate-change motion presented by Wilmot.

The motion states “with deep regret that it is future generations and other forms of life who will bear the real cost of our heavy dependence on carbon-based energy”.

It stated as a “grave concern” that a national target of 5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the 2000 level by 2020 was “well short of the response needed to the data presented in the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”.

The motion also called on individual Anglicans and dioceses to review their commitment to protecting the Earth.

The general synod was not the first time Wilmot had spoken out about climate change. He wrote last year that many parishioners were deeply concerned about it and that “the church prays for our elected leaders on a regular basis”.

But it appears the passing of the motion has done little to sway the environment minister, Greg Hunt.

A spokesman told Guardian Australia: “We do fully accept the science. The problem with the carbon tax is that it has an adverse impact on families, whilst failing to significantly reduce emissions.

“We therefore hope the Anglican church will agree that the Coalition’s approach of taking pressure off electricity prices and actually achieving a significant reduction in emissions is a far better policy.”